the moral wardrobe: FashionABLE's new customizABLE line

I recently purchased* the Horizon Necklace from FashionABLE's new CustomizABLE line. The launch couldn't have come at a better time with the Holiday season on the horizon. The line - along with all of FashionABLE's offerings - is ethically sourced and ethically produced in Nashville, Tennessee.

The interface is really convenient and you get to see a sample of the finished product before making your purchase, though I should note that the sample image for this particular piece shows 4 beads on each side and I only received 3. I kind of like this version better, but that's something to keep in mind since it costs an extra $5.00. The stamping option, however, is free, so take advantage of it if you can think of a meaningful word or name to add.

I chose to add the word Wise to my pendant because it's my last name and a trait I aspire to. I didn't realize until I was wearing it around my neck while reading an article on The Toast about changing your last name when you get married (well, more about making fun of the idea of women changing their names when they get married) how "traditional' I may come across for having chosen "my husband's" last name as a focal point of the piece. I've gotten a lot of flak for "bowing to the patriarchy" and changing my name when I got married and I've struggled to adequately express why it doesn't make me the very worst feminist. Because I'm a loud and proud feminist and I don't mind that I changed my name. It doesn't make me feel inferior. It doesn't destroy years of feminist work, contrary to the gut reaction of many I've encountered. This isn't a make or break thing.

Yes, I made a choice that aligns itself with the patriarchy. But not every decision is political. We have to live in a world with fluid and ever evolving gender norms, expectations, and definitions and we can't possibly all navigate them the same way. So fellow feminists: I'm terribly sorry if you feel like I've shunned our great movement, but I'm not going to take it back. And it's not your business to tell me I made a mistake.End rant.

4 comments

Been thinking on the name thing too lately - I think someone brought it up in a conversation.... I took my husband's name and am a staunch feminist... and weve been happily married for 13 years now... :)

But before we were married, my husband grew up poor, and he talked about how he always looked forward to giving his name as a gift to his wife. He never forced it on me, he offered it. I took it because omg, how sweet that he gave it as a gift to me, but also because its a sign that we are a team.... so I don't see it as going against feminism to change your name - its feminism to be offered the choice and doing the choosing for yourself, nothing wrong with that... :)

Yeah... I see nothing at all wrong or anti-feminist with taking your husband's last name. Especially when he has a great one like Wise. ;) As I have understood it, it's something men like giving to their wife, not something they're forcing upon them as a way to show possession or dominance.

I'm also a fierce, longtime feminist, and I changed my name during marriage because I just simply like my husband's last name better than my maiden name. My original last name was Nelson. His last name is von Nagel. Clearly he had the cooler last name. How could I pass up the chance to have a badass last name like von Nagel? If anybody judged me for taking my husband's name, nobody has been vocal about it, probably because they were like, "Oh, that last name actually is really cool. I see why she did it." If his last name was Jones or whatever, I would have kept my maiden name. And if I was the one with the more interesting last name, I know my husband would have no problem taking mine! But as it is, he clearly had the cooler name, so I was like, bam, it's mine now.

What I'm trying to say is that people's choices on taking a married name has no bearing on their "quality" as a feminist. You can still be a feminist with a name acquired through marriage.